Traumatized SC Contemnor Stephen Atubiga On Prescription Medication After Spending 3 Days In Jail

August 29 2013, will forever go down in the country�s history books as a very memorable day. It was the day a 9-member Supreme Court panel, led by Justice William Atuguba, by a 5:4 majority decision, upheld the Electoral Commission's declaration of president John Mahama as winner of the December 7, election on the ticket of the governing National Democratic Congress. This was after an eight month-long legal battle at the Supreme Court, following a suit filed by 2012 Flagbearer for the NPP, Nana Akufo-Addo, his running mate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and then party chairman, Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, praying the Court to annul the election results which they claimed was fraught with irregularities. Many notable incidents occurred prior to final ruling, not excluding some political commentators falling on the wrong side of the law after making contemptuous statements and passing scandalous remarks about the process and the judges and being jailed in the process. One of such victims is Stephen Atubiga, who spent a three day jail term for criminal contempt, despite his unconditional retraction of the offending statements and his profuse apologies to the court. The NDC Communications Team member was handed the sentence after he disregarded the Court�s stern warning to the public to be mindful of their utterances about its proceedings. A year down the line, he still appears traumatized by the incident. Speaking to Kwame Nkrumah Tikese on Okay Fm�s Ade Akye Abia Morning Show, the Contemnor revealed that his three (3) days sentence by the Supreme Court felt like a three (3) year imprisonment and is still haunted in his sleep. According to him, he has had to deal with the societal stigma associated with his imprisonment as it has become difficult for society to completely accept him but for his political affiliation. He however asserted that the jail-term has made him a better person. �It was not easy going to prison and the stigma associated with it. When I listen to the voice of the Supreme Court ruling on my contempt, it makes me emotional; the other side of it is that you are part of history and it is a reflection that you should be mindful of what you say and remember that the country is bigger than every political party��,� he said. He disclosed that his prison experience had left him depressed and further created an pleasant impression in his mind that has even resulted in him being placed on medication. �I have gone through a lot �prison life isn�t easy at all�I�m hoping no one goes through that ordeal�I have to take Tylenol (a pain reliever to treat many conditions such as headache, muscles aches etc) before going to bed,� he revealed.